Brain Development of a Young Child

By Inderbir Kaur Sandhu, Ph.D

Q:
I wanted to know what are the symptoms of a slow developed
brain of a 4 year old child?

A: When brain development is
slow, this would eventually affect development in other
areas. The following guide may be useful in describing
skills and growth markers of 4 year olds (taken from http://health.allrefer.com).
Three main aspects are described; physical and motor,
sensory and cognitive, and play.

Physical and motor

During the 4th year there is usually a weight gain of about
6 grams per day.

The height of your child during the 4th year should be
double their length at birth.

Improved balance.

Hops on one foot without losing balance.

Throws a ball overhand with coordination.

Skillfully cuts out a picture using scissors.

May not be able to tie shoelaces.

Bed wetting at this age is still considered normal

Sensory and cognitive

Vocabulary has increased to over 1500 words.

Easily composes sentences of 4 to 5 words.

Can use the past tense.

Can count to 4.

The age when your child will ask the most questions.

May use words outside their comprehension.

May begin using vulgar terms depending on their exposure.

Learns and sings simple songs.

Tries to be very independent.

Increased aggressive behavior.

Readily discloses personal family matters to others.

Imaginary playmates are common.

Increased comprehension of time.

Able to distinguish between two objects based on simple
criteria (such as size, weight, etc.).

Less egocentric behavior.

Believes that their thoughts and emotions are causative
events.

Lacks moral concepts of right and wrong.

Rebellion is common if expectations are excessive

Play

Encourage and provide the necessary space for physical
activity.

Instruct the child how to participate in, and follow the
rules of sporting activities.

Encourage play with other children in the area to help
develop their socialization skills.

Encourage creative play.

Read together.

Monitor both the time and content of television viewing.

Expose the child to different stimuli by visiting local
areas of interest.

I hope the above helps; however, it is best to see a
pediatrician for an accurate description based on the health
history of the child.